LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 23
Translator: FenrirTL
Editor: Saphartlantis
========================
< Chapter 23: Otherworldly Gallery >
The land of the Dwarves. Terrin.
The king residing there was known as the Mountain King.
Of course, this was a well-known fact even in the gallery.
—
[How big must he be to be called the Mountain King? lolol]
ㄴNo wonder Moderator’s jaw dropped lolol
ㄴA huge cannon attached to a small body… wow…
ㄴModerator can’t escape from being deeply embraced by the Mountain King’s sturdy and small body… Oh my… Turns out the Mountain King also loved Moderator… Pleading not to leave while bestowing a treasure-like item.
“First of all, you’re out.”
What? Who’s giving who a blowjob?
Who’s doing what to whom? Accepting bribes?
All those spreading absurd rumors were lightly executed.
[Return to real life for 3 hours]
[Go touch grass]
[I curse you to have your search history exposed to your parents]
It was a strict punishment meaning a 3-hour ban from the gallery.
After killing those guys and coming back, the Moderator looked at the gallery, which was in chaos.
“What the hell.”
Having taken a brief look at the collection of beautiful thoughts, a strange bait was circulating in the gallery.
—
[Turns out Moderator is from the Terrin Kingdom?!]
[Moderator is actually an illegitimate child of the Terrin royal family?!]
[21 secrets about Moderator that no one knows!]
[Majoros is in panic, the empire is courting… the stock of the Terrin Kingdom is skyrocketing!]
—
“What the fuck is this.”
Suddenly, being tied to the Terrin Kingdom, becoming royalty, being courted across the continent, and Demon King-chan doing somersaults in surprise.
Information that no one knew was being released.
The problem was that even the person involved had no clue about said information!
‘This is ridiculous.’
If I tell them not to spread fake news here? The reaction is obvious.
—
ㄴThis bastard is trying to cover it up again lolol
ㄴFake news special : It’s true
ㄴIsn’t he feeling guilty?
—
This is the response that comes out.
But if I slaughter all those saying such things?
—
ㄴIt’s oppression!!!!!!!!!
ㄴKyaaaaaaa!!!
ㄴThe gallery’s extermination… the only salvation…
ㄴModerator poisoned the well!!!!!!!!!!!!
—
The gallery would turn upside down.
This was big data material based on many experiences in the modern era.
Increase in the number of times a gallery is oppressed, banned, and eaten?
The more foreign tourists from Asgard who come to see all kinds of weird global memes!
This is a history proven by numerous gallery oppressions and incorrect moderator movements.
‘Besides, here….’
There isn’t even a function to set a 16-character dynamic code.
It’s truly a checkmate situation.
All I could do was hope it would quiet down on its own.
**[Administrator Chat]**
─Demon King-chan : Did you suck up to the Mountain King?? No way, did you really suck that king’s huge….!!!
─Moderator : Do you want to die?
─Demon King-chan : Oh my! A strong denial is an affirmation in itself~~~ ^ ^
─Plant Druid : I… even if… Moderator… did that… it’s okay…!!!
─Demon King-chan : Our denture-clicking Druid should explain this as a senior~~~
─Plant Druid : What nonsense are you talking about!!!!
─Demon King-chan : Being old~~ means~~ having a lot of experience~~ And the lack of teeth makes the gums smooth~~ Senior denture-clicking Druid must have shown Moderator some techniques~~
─Plant Druid : There’s no such thing!!!!!!!
─Demon King-chan : Granny…,.do you like it…? so jiggly…,
─Plant Druid : Kyaaaah!!!!!! I said there’s no such thing!!!!!!!
─Hero : Moderator. What does the Dwarf King’s huge thing mean?
─Moderator : You don’t need to know.
─Hero : There’s something else I don’t know…
Fake news has already spread widely.
There’s no other choice now but to close the gallery or eradicate the Mountain King.
Let’s just say it’s a gay thing.
Moderator sighed and checked the item that was the starting point of this rumor at the auction house.
[Ring of Infinite Gratitude]
―?
―?
―?
―?
―?
―?
―?
―?
Eight lines of combined magic and enchantments.
Even as a moderator who came from a world far removed from magic he knew this for sure.
The more lines it has, the exponentially higher its value.
So, this item has astronomical value.
“Then why did they give it to me?”
Did I really do something without knowing it?
Maybe while I was asleep… in a dream… sleepwalking ?
“Damn.”
I imagined it for a moment and then corrected my thoughts.
Is there really a need to know?
It’s an item I got for free anyway.
By paying the immediate purchase price of 1 silver, I was able to receive the item.
A jet-black ring appeared in the air.
It’s pretty, I’ll give it that.
But maybe because it doesn’t hold mana or have any special abilities, I didn’t feel anything significant.
Despite receiving a beautiful ring, there wasn’t anything particularly notable.
The response from my ordinary body was also ordinary.
It feels cold.
That’s all I felt as I put the ring on.
“?”
I feel a bit more comfortable. Maybe. I’m not sure.
Anyway, thanks for the ring.
Thinking that, I slipped the ring onto the ring finger of my left hand without thinking, and then realized.
“Oh.”
Did it have to go here? The ring finger of the left hand holds significant meaning.
I’ve never had a girlfriend or anything like that, but I might in the future, so it’s important.
“What?”
I tried to take the ring off, but it wouldn’t budge.
Even after buying cooking oil to lubricate it, it showed no sign of coming off.
“I’m screwed.”
I was forcibly (not really) robbed of my left ring finger’s first time.
* * *
While Moderator’s poor helpless left ring finger was being dominated by the big dwarven ring, the gallery was abuzz with the usual baseless speculation and misinformation, fueled by assumptions and half-truths from everyone but the person involved.
─What did Moderator do?
ㄴExactly.
ㄴSeems like he impressed the Dwarves and got a gift in return?
ㄴFor real.
ㄴIs it because Dwarves like cola?
ㄴ??
ㄴHmm;; Is it really that?
ㄴCola is good… But does it have that much influence…?
ㄴThinking about it like that, it seems plausible…?
ㄴ(I really don’t know)
ㄴSo, what’s the conclusion?
ㄴI think we concluded that something happened?
ㄴThey wouldn’t have given a treasure-level item just for opening an auction house with nothing else happening lol
ㄴFor real lol
ㄴDwarves are very precise with transactions; they only give what they receive.
ㄴFor real;; they are super strict.
ㄴThey get mad if you short them even a single coin.
ㄴI once accidentally gave them one less pouch of gold, and they pulled out a hammer from their pants, so I gave them another pouch;;;
ㄴTrue horror story lol
ㄴDamn lol, are they bandits or merchants?
ㄴIf you don’t give them enough, they’ll throw a hammer at your head lol
ㄴLike the Polar Bear Serial Killer ? lol
ㄴDwarves in Terrin know how crazy expensive things are here.
ㄴConsidering their financial situation it’s understandable
ㄴWhat do you mean it’s understandable, you crazy person lol
ㄴPrices here are murderous;;;
ㄴBut what if they actually kill someone?
ㄴDid they kill someone again…
ㄴFor real lol, everything that comes over the mountain is expensive lol
ㄴSo what’s cheap here?
ㄴI just peed myself. Feels good.
ㄴDude.
ㄴWe didn’t need to know that…
ㄴWhat’s cheap here anyway?
ㄴMinerals and mushrooms you can only eat once?
ㄴWhat kind of mushrooms?
ㄴThey’re poisonous, so you can only eat them once.
ㄴDamn lol
ㄴWe’d starve without trade lol
ㄴBecause of high distribution costs, they became nasty…
ㄴSurviving means… being nasty.
ㄴDwarven survival 101, just be nasty.
ㄴBut those nasty Dwarves… gave something good…?
ㄴThat’s what doesn’t make sense lol
ㄴFor real lol
Title : Predictions
Something happened. Anyway, it was something huge;;
So, wow;;; Insane for real;;;;
Upvotes: 1988 Downvotes: 2
ㄴWow;; crystal clear
ㄴSo, something definitely happened ㄷㄷ
ㄴWow, such a thing…
ㄴHow did this happen;;;
ㄴThe Moderator is insane, really
ㄴAre these guys in collective hypnosis? lol
ㄴFor real lol just keep hitting lol
ㄴSo, we don’t know exactly.
ㄴBut from the Theseus Empire’s perspective, being pissed is what matters
ㄴFor real;;
ㄴWhy are they pissed?
ㄴActually, the Emperor was targeting the Mountain King…
ㄴOh my
ㄴEmbraced by the Mountain King’s massive arms…
ㄴEwwwwwww
ㄴPlease stop!!!! I’m scared!!!!!!!
ㄴFor real lol, might dream about this
ㄴSo why are they pissed?
ㄴThe Empire took a hit, it must suck for them
**Title: Current Situation in the Theseus Empire**
Auction House Operation (Screwed)
International Trade (Screwed)
The problem is that the Emperor is very greedy.
ㄴGiven the Emperor’s personality, he’s likely to go berserk trying to kill Moderator.
ㄴHow do you know that?
ㄴI’m in the Imperial Guard.
ㄴHuh? Me too.
ㄴMe too lol
ㄴlol, so many in the Imperial Guard.
ㄴSo, what’s the Emperor’s reaction?
ㄴDon’t know.
ㄴIt hasn’t come out yet.
ㄴBut the atmosphere is probably terrible.
“….”
Tap. Tap tap.
The Emperor, seated on the throne, drummed his fingers on the armrest.
While he openly displaying his irritation, others watched him nervously.
Speaking in front of an extremely displeased Emperor could lead to severe punishment, like a kick to the shin, and in severe cases, banishment or executions.
So his advisors stayed silent.
“Each of you, state your opinions.”
The dreaded time for forced presentations had come.
“Ugh….”
At this moment, those who had attended the academy recalled the fear of being singled out by an instructor… and the humiliation of not being able to answer.
The first advisor racked his brain intensely.
“I… I have a suggestion.”
Having successfully bought some time with his introduction, he came up with a plan.
“Given that many rumors are circulating in the gallery… we should project the empire’s resilience by stating that the empire remains strong and unaffected─”
“Will that make the empire’s wounds disappear?”
“….”
Of course, the plan was easily dismissed.
Although the Emperor had a nasty personality, he was the one who led the empire to its current prosperity.
His capability was undeniable!
He quickly realized the advisor’s words were empty and merely an attempt to escape the current predicament.
The Emperor, Chris, shifted his gaze.
Tremble!
The advisor he looked at next trembled and opened his mouth.
“F-First… we could redirect the gallery’s attention to another issue… buying us some time….”
“Can we then find a way to compensate for the empire’s losses?”
“….”
“I asked for a plan, not petty tricks.”
Ahh─
He sighed deeply.
“You’re all just surviving. I asked for ways to help the empire move forward!”
To only spout sophistry in a bid to survive!
Unable to contain his anger, the Emperor stood up abruptly.
He pointed his finger at his advisors, signaling them to line up.
Terrified, they quickly stood in a row.
“Ugh…!”
Following this, the Emperor’s kick brought sharp pain to their shins.
“Come up with a plan.”
“Yes… understood….”
“Or at least bring me Moderator before me!”
“Yes…!”
“Search every corner, every hole! Find any clue!”
“I will investigate if there has been any underhanded dealings with the Kingdom of Terrin….”